The New England Patriots will try to get back into the win column this week versus the Baltimore Ravens. Naturally, all of our attention is on that particular Sunday night matchup. That said, some of the other 15 games around the NFL this week are also worth keeping a close eye on.

With that said, welcome to this week’s Patriots rooting guide.

As a disclaimer, we are looking at games through two primary lenses: New England’s chances of winning the division — which they cannot do this week — as well as earning the No. 1 seed in the AFC....

Tennessee radio personality Jared Stillman has become a notorious critic of New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel.

The Nashville-based host blasted Vrabel earlier this season when he claimed the team’s 8-2 start should be credited to the addition of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, not the head coaching change.

Now he is back at it, this time claiming Vrabel is “itching” to get rid of McDaniels so that he can hire one of his previous coordinators.

“I know Vrabel-ese, and I know Mike Vrabel,” Stillman said. “I assume that Mike Vrabel is just itching to get Josh McDaniels out of...

The New England Patriots made an effort to beef up the linebacker room this week following the injury to Robert Spillane.

The Patriots signed linebacker Amari Gainer to their practice squad and linebacker Chad Muma to the active roster.

Gainer is a five-year ACC veteran who played his final college season at the University of North Carolina in 2023.

That was also the final season for Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who threw for more than 300 yards per game for the Tar Heels.

Now reunited in Foxboro, Maye had nothing but praise for his former teammate.

“I played with him...

The New England Patriots are preparing for their upcoming Week 16 contest against the Baltimore Ravens, and it’s clear that injuries are going to play a role in this game. On Thursday, the Pats were dealt some concerning injury updates on the defensive side of the ball.

For much of the year, New England did well to avoid the injury bug, but it is beginning to get hit hard down the homestretch of the season. Milton Williams and Will Campbell are both on injured reserve, and it was hard not to notice Robert Spillane’s absence from the team’s Week 15...

Josh McDaniels’ New England Patriots offense stalled down the stretch of a Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots jumped to a 21-0 lead when scoring touchdowns on three of their four opening drives, but they mustered seven points in the second half of a 35-31 loss at Gillette Stadium. TreVeyon Henderson’s rushing touchdown accounted for 65 of New England’s 80 yards in the final two quarters.

McDaniels couldn’t pinpoint a specific problem was asked about his offense’s second-half slide, via CLNS Media.

“I don’t know if there’s one answer on that,” McDaniels said on Thursday. “Certainly, I...

The New England Patriots have suddenly found themselves in a bit of a tough spot heading into Week 16, as they have a challenging matchup against the Baltimore Ravens on their hands just one week after suffering a crushing loss to the Buffalo Bills.

New England had a shot to wrap up the AFC East by picking up a win over Buffalo, but instead, it left the door open for one of its top rivals to sneak in and make a late push for the top spot in the division. That had made picking up a win over Baltimore extremely...

The New England Patriots regained one for Thursday’s practice in Foxborough.

Linebacker Christian Elliss was back following an illness, while four others remained non-participants as the Baltimore Ravens matchup nears. Off the edges, off the ball as well as in the secondary, fellow defensive starters Harold Landry III, Robert Spillane, Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones have now missed consecutive sessions.

Here’s the second injury report leading up to Sunday’s 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff at M&T Bank Stadium.

DID NOT PARTICIPATE

Patriots

• LB Harold Landry III (knee)
• LB Robert Spillane (ankle)
• CB Carlton Davis III...

The New England Patriots have the opportunity to reunite with a former defensive standout.

Matthew Judon is officially a free agent after clearing waivers on Thursday, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The Miami Dolphins released the pass rusher on Wednesday.

Judon made two of four straight Pro Bowl appearances with the Patriots, registering 12.5 sacks in 2021 and a career-high 15.5 sacks in 2022. The former fifth-round pick collected 133 tackles, 62 quarterback hits, 32 sacks and two forced fumbles in 38 games for New England.

After missing most of the 2023 season with a torn biceps, Judon returned to...

The New England Patriots saw a 24-7 halftime lead slip away last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

While the defense allowing four straight touchdown drives over the final two quarters was the main culprits, New England’s offense struggled to move the football outside of 65-yard touchdown run by TreVeyon Henderson.

That continued a potential worrisome trend for New England’s offense that now ranks 22nd in the league in second-half scoring (10.6 points per game). Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, however, does not see any common themes from game-to-game.

“No trends,” McDaniels said Thursday. “I think it’s just when you play with...

Now that Bill Belichick concluded his first season coaching college, the rumor mill could ignite about a possible NFL comeback.

Josina Anderson reported Thursday that two NFL teams have expressed interest in speaking to Belichick on an “exploratory basis.” The insider didn’t name the teams but noted that high-level staffers from three organizations are “still fond” of the New England Patriots legend.

Anderson named the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns and New York as the teams with Belichick fans in the building. She didn’t specify which New York squad, but Belichick won two Super Bowl championships as the Giants’ defensive coordinator...

The New England Patriots are one win away from a playoff berth, and an opportunity beckons to make their first Super Bowl in six years.

ESPN simulated the rest of the season using its Football Power Index, and it spit out a championship matchup Patriots fans will view fondly. New England is projected to win the AFC and face the Los Angeles Rams for the third time this century.

Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl against the then St. Louis Rams to end the 2001 season, and the Patriots won a 13-3 defensive stalemate over the Rams in Super...

The New England Patriots and Tennessee Titans are connected in more ways than one.

The most obvious link is Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who served in the role with the Titans for six seasons.

Tennessee quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree was New England’s offensive assistant during the 2021 campaign as well.

ESPN.com senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell explained on Thursday how the Titans (currently tied for the league’s worst record at 2-12) could be “next year’s version” of the Patriots.

“When I’ve talked to people around the league and asked them which team and which quarterback might profile as the...